Love and Blue Slushies
by Regulus00
Summary: "His annoyance quickly gave way to lust as he watched Ichigo's tongue casually play with his straw. The best part? Ichigo's tongue was blue." Grimmjow may or may not be in love with Ichigo, who has a boyfriend. Insert drama-llama here. Reference to nose-bleeds.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN:OK! So, I had a Blue Coconut slush today and it turned my tongue blue and then,SMACK, I got hit with this idea. It's a new kinda genre for me, so constuctive critisim is very welcome. Also, I literally just finished this, so it hasn't gone through my usual hardcore editing process and there are probably a few mistakes. Just lemme know and I'll be sure ta fix 'em. **_

_**Oh, I don't own Bleach and I am in no way affiliated with Denny's, although the breakfast there is delicious. Mmmm, pancakes. **_

_**Anywhosit, enjoy!**_

Grimmjow stared across the room at his orange-haired classmate. His blue eyes, only slightly darker than his hair, took in every detail of the boy's lean physic. The boy was leaning across a lab table, his chair leaning precariously forward on two-legs. Orange hair covered the boy's forehead, partially covering sleepy brown eyes. A white Styrofoam cup sat between the boy's arms, a bright red straw between his lips. The boy's name was Ichigo Kurosaki and he was quite the attractive college student.

On a typical Tuesday morning, Grimmjow could be found in Chemistry class, staring at Ichigo. Usually, Grimmjow's view was limited to the back of Ichigo's head. Today, however, Ichigo had opted to sit across the room. Grimmjow had been a bit miffed by the new seating arrangement until he took in the fact that Ichigo was enjoying a bright blue slushy. His annoyance quickly gave way to appreciative lust as he watched Ichigo's tongue casually play with his straw.

The best part? Ichigo's tongue was blue. Grimmjow's mind quickly made a dive for the gutter. Various, wildly perverted images assaulted his libido.

_Ichigo on his knees, cold, blue tongue slowly sliding up Grimmjow's length._

_Ichigo moaning loudly from underneath him, blue tongue dancing playfully against his own. _

_Ichigo slowly kissing his way down Grimmjow's chest, blue tongue carefully exploring every inch. _

"Grimmjow!" Gin playfully smacked the blue-haired man over the head. "Class is over, stupid. Let us venture forth and seek nourishment."

Grimmjow groaned. Leave it to Gin to interrupt his fantasies_._ Grimmjow shifted uncomfortably, his pants abnormally tight. He chanced a glance at the orange-haired cause of his discomfort and was instantly angered.

Ichigo was standing next to his so-called boyfriend, Renji, the red-haired Dumb-face. Gin followed Grimmjow's gaze and sighed. "Still, Grimm? Really? He's been with that idiot since our junior year. Don't you think it's time to move on?"

Grimmjow glared daggers at his long-time friend. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, I'm talking about you being in love with Ichigo Kurosaki since our freshman year. And, in case you haven't noticed, we're sophomores in college now. Time to fucking move on, dude."

"You're what?" A booming voice came from the back of the classroom, interrupting the conversation. Grimmjow turned to see who the voice belonged to, only to find himself face to face with the red-headed Dumb-face. Oh, fantastic. Leave it to Gin to interrupt his fantasies AND get him in a fight.

"I'm not anything. Get out of my way, Abarai." Grimmjow sidestepped and attempted to walk past the fuming Dumb-face. His attempt was thwarted by an angry Renji, who also stepped to the side, blocking Grimmjow's way whilst wearing an angry boyfriend face.

"You're in love with Ichigo? Ichigo is MINE. So back off."

"Look, stupid. I wasn't fucking doing anything so leave me alone before I bust your face open."

"Bust my face open? I'd love to see you try. We both know you can't handle me. Start walking. Ichigo doesn't want anything to do with you."

Grimmjow was seriously about to knock the Dumb-face's face off when his anger was interrupted by a new voice.

"Renji! What the fuck are you doing? Stop acting like a fucking middle-school girl and come on. I'm going to be late. Again." Ichigo walked between the quarrelling men and glared at his boyfriend. Renji reluctantly backed away and, after casting a final glare at Grimmjow, walked from the room. Ichigo turned to face Grimmjow, giving him an apologetic smile before following the Dumb-face out the door.

Grimmjow turned to Gin. "You know, I really wanted to hit him. Maybe I should hit you instead."

"Now, now Grimmjow. **(It rhymes!) **We both know that beating me to a pulp won't make Ichigo choose you over the Dumb-face. " Grimmjow smiled at the name he and Gin had given Renji, shrugging off the morning's events. He stretched and gathered his forgotten backpack. "So, you wanna go to Denny's?"

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you treated me like that in front of that jackass! I was defending you! What, are you secretly in love with him too?" Renji was furious. Never had he ever been so angry and embarrassed at the same time. Not only had he found out that someone else was in love with HIS Ichigo, said Ichigo had interrupted the imminent face-pounding that Renji was preparing to hand out.<p>

"Have you lost your mind, Renji? Of course I'm not in love with him. I was trying to stop you from getting kicked out of school, seeing as you're already on academic probation! What does it matter if he likes me?" Ichigo shook with fury. He was so fucking sick of this argument, which had lasted for most of the day.

"Because you're mine! He can't have you!"

"I don't belong to you Renji! Maybe you're just angry that I have options!"

_Smack_

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock. "Renji," Ichigo spoke, his voice surprising calm. "Renji, did you just hit me?"

"I…I…Oh, god Ichigo! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I was just so ang…."

"You WERE angry, Renji? So hitting me makes you feel all better, huh?" Ichigo spoke in a quiet monotone.

"No, Ichigo! It's not like that! I'm so sorry. I love you! You know that I love you! I didn't mean to hit you! I'm sorry!"

"You didn't mean to hit me? What, your hand slipped? Oh, well. Since you didn't MEAN to hit me, that makes it all fine, right Renji? Right?"

Renji stared at Ichigo with wide eyes. Ichigo was shaking in silent fury and his face was flushed red, a bruise already forming on the left side of his face.

"I've had enough, Renji. First it's the constant fighting, then I start hearing rumors about you sleeping with that Rukia chick, and now you hit me. I'm afraid that's the last straw." Ichigo's voice remained calm throughout his speech and he quietly picked up his backpack, preparing to leave his now ex-boyfriend.

"No! Ichigo, don't do this! I'm sorry!" Renji grabbed Ichigo's arm in an attempt to stop the orange-haired man from leaving him.

Ichigo's fury suddenly surfaced as he whirled on his red-headed ex-boyfriend. "Don't. Fucking. Touch. Me." Ichigo screamed each word and smacked Renji's hand away. "It's over, Renji! I've had it! The next time you touch me, I will kick your ass, so leave me alone. Don't call me, don't text me. Don't sit near me in class, don't even look at me! We are finished! Find someone else to be your punching bag!"

With that, Ichigo left Renji's apartment, certain that he would never be back. He practically ran down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the elevator. As he exited the apartment complex, hot tears began to slide across his bruised face.

Ichigo pulled out his phone as soon as his feet hit pavement and he dialed up the first person he could think of.

"Yellow?"

"Shinji, I need you to come get me."

* * *

><p>"HE HIT YOU? Ohmigod, Ichigo! Imma kill him! What the fuck! Was that the first time? How often does it happen? Why did you stay with such a dickface for so long?" Shinji was having a thorough freak-out. Ichigo sighed, glad to have someone to talk to but also slightly annoyed at his best friend for being so flamboyant.<p>

"Well, obviously, it was the first time. I wouldn't have stayed with him for so damned long if it had happened before."

Shinji pounced on Ichigo, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Well, you can just stay with me now! I need a roommate and you have nowhere else to go!" Ichigo sighed. Shinji had gone from angry best friend to extremely excited roommate in exactly half a second. "Come on, I'll show ya you're new room!"

"Shinji, I've seen your guest room five thousand times."

"Yea, but it was a guest room then, now it's YOUR room!"

Ichigo sighed again and followed Shinji around the small apartment while Shinji gave him the "grand tour."

Suddenly, Ichigo was struck with a defeating realization. "Shinji, I left all my shit at Renji's place."

Shinji turned to his friend, a frightening grin spread across his face. He walked across the room, and pulled an aluminum baseball bat from his closet, creepy grin still in place.

"Well Ichi, we'll just have to go get it then, won't we"

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:Dun dun dun! Someone better tell Renji ta run! ;) Anywhosit, whatcha think? Review and lemme know! <em>**


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN: Welp, this took a bit to write. Yay, procrastination! I'm really excited for this chapter. Course I'm always excited. *Shrugs* Thanks to all who reviewed and favorited and such. You guys brighten my day!_**

**_Warning:Language, violence, blue-haired sex god, spelling. _**

**_Disclaimer:Bleach is not mine. (Lucky for Grimm and Nnoi. They'd totally be locked up in my closet if I had that kind of control...Or maybe seperate closets.) _**

**_Anywhosit, enjoy!_**

* * *

><p>Ichigo stared at the ceiling of his "new" room. It had taken him several hours to convince Shinji to put down a certain aluminum baseball bat. Finally, he told the over-exuberant blonde that he was tired and that he would get his things from Renji's place after school and, yes, he would wake Shinji if Renji called and, yes, Shinji could go with him to collect his possessions. Shinji called it 'back-up.' Ichigo called it 'premeditated murder.'<p>

Now that Shinji was asleep, Ichigo needed a plan. It would take great cunning and skill to get past his blonde roommate. Ichigo felt he was up to the challenge. Contemplating possible escape plans inevitably lead Ichigo's mind back to the day's events.

Renji had hit him. The same Renji who liked to watch late night TV and eat greasy food at four in the morning. The same red-head who gave him a giant pink teddy bear for Valentine's Day every year. The same Renji that held him tightly and snored loudly in his ear. His Renji. Why would Renji hit him?

_Because he's possessive, cheating scum._

_NO! It's all Grimmjow's fault!_

_Grimmjow didn't hit you._

Ichigo argued with his self as silent tears spilled onto his pillow. _Renji loves me. Renji had been tired and tense and angry. We've been fighting so much lately and Grimmjow's statement sent him over the edge. He just needs some time to chill out and relax._

Ichigo crept out of bed and silently slipped out of the dark apartment before his voice of reason could convince him otherwise.

_This is a bad idea._

_No. Renji needs me and I need him. We can work through this._

Ichigo ignored the nagging feeling in the back of his mind and began the walk back to Renji's apartment. _Our apartment._

As he walked, Ichigo thought of Grimmjow. He didn't really know the man. They went to school together but Ichigo wouldn't call them friends. They were just classmates. Was the blue-haired man really in love with him? _No, that's impossible. I'm with Renji and Grimmjow knows that so he can't be in love with me._

Still, Ichigo's mind wandered and he soon found himself thinking of Grimmjow's physique. Strong, muscular arms, rippling abs, an absolutely delectable ass. A vibrant pair of blue eyes assaulted Ichigo's mind as he considered that unusually blue hair and wondered what it would feel like to run his fingers through it. A brief image of his lips clashing with those of the blue-haired man presented itself for his viewing pleasure.

Quite suddenly, Ichigo found himself standing in front of Renji's apartment building. Guilt tugged at his heart as he slowly made his way up to Renji's floor. How could he possibly be thinking of Grimmjow when he was about to lose the love of his life?

Ichigo took a deep breath when he found himself face to face with his red-headed lover's door. He braced himself, preparing for Renji's anger and the argument that would inevitably lead to angry make-up sex. Inhaling deeply once more, Ichigo slipped his key into the lock and silently pushed the door open.

The apartment was dark and seemingly abandoned. Ichigo crept inside, moving quickly. Maybe Renji was asleep. Ichigo crossed the living room, approaching the bedroom door silently. Maybe he could crawl into bed and Renji would pull him close and everything would be fine.

And that's when he heard it. A low moan drifted from the bedroom, sending icy shocks up Ichigo's spine. He froze, bewildered. Was Renji crying? Surely, they could work things out if such was the case.

Another moan reached Ichigo's ears. It was loader and more drawn out than the first. And it was female. Blood rushed to Ichigo's head, making his ears pound and his face contort with rage. The color red overtook his vision and he strode forward, grabbing the door forcefully and throwing it open with a bang.

Two figures jumped violently, quite startled. Bright red hair turned to face Ichigo and immediately sprang from the bed.

"Well, I see now just how much you love me, Renji. I'll just gather my things and leave you two to your business." He turned to the second figure. "Best be careful, Rukia. If he'll cheat with you, he'll cheat on you."

Ichigo crossed the room, grabbed his backpack and began rapidly throwing clothes into it.

"Ichigo, this isn't what it looks like! You left me! I was hurting! What else was I supposed to do?"

"Save it, Renji. I'm not interested. I should have known this would happen. But don't worry, I won't bother you again. I'll get the rest of my things when you're not around. Good-Bye, Renji."

Ichigo stormed through the apartment, carefully knocking as many things over as possible. He exited the apartment, slamming the door loudly enough to awaken the entire floor. Let Renji try and deal with that on his own.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, Ichigo found himself crying on the sidewalk in front of his ex-boyfriend's building. Reaching for his phone, Ichigo dialed up his new roommate.

"Hnnnnn?"

"Shin, it's me. I'm outside Renji's building. Come get me."

"Oh, damn Ichi! What happened?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Just hurry."

"Should I bring the bat?

"Yeah, bring the bat."

* * *

><p>Grimmjow burped loudly.<p>

"Lovely, Grimm. Ten points."

"Only ten? Come on Gin, that was worth at least fifteen."

"Not quite. You have to own it. You can't just belch loudly and expect it to be champion. You have to present it properly."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes at his roommate. "I'll try to remember that. I'm going to bed. Class in the morning."

"Don't you have homework to complete for said class?"

"Yea. I also have a bed and that's much more appealing."

Grimmjow stood and sauntered from the room, leaving Gin on the ragged couch. Entering his room, he promptly dropped his pants and collapsed into bed. Turning to his nightstand, Grimmjow sat his alarm for 6 am. Why the hell had he taken such a fucking early class? Oh, right. Ichigo.

Grimmjow sighed. He had fucked up so badly. Ichigo would undoubtedly avoid him at all costs. The Dumbface wouldn't stand for an association with him now. Not that the red-headed bastard let Ichigo come near Grimmjow to begin with. Grimmjow remembered the small smile Ichigo had given him after his confrontation with Renji. The smile had been apologetic. Not like the smiles Ichigo gave Renji. Grimmjow had seen those. The orange-head's entire face would light up, chocolate eyes sparkling.

_Why can't he smile at me like that? _

Grimmjow mentally smacked himself. _Stop acting like a tweeny-girl. _

Aggravated, Grimmjow turned onto his side and cast all thoughts of orange-hair and brown eyes from his head. _I need to get laid._

* * *

><p>Ichigo gave the bat a final swing, satisfied at the dull, metallic thud it made when it struck the taillight of the bright red Jeep Wrangler. Stepping back, he admired his and Shinji's handiwork. The once sexy Jeep had been keyed viciously and beaten soundly with a certain aluminum baseball bat. The doors dented, the lights smashed, the windows smeared with mud. Ichigo was proud. Rounding the car, he took in Shinji's artwork. The left side of Renji's Jeep read CHEATER in giant white lettering. Shinji had wanted to write "WOMAN BEATER" on the right side. "But I have a penis, Shinji. So, no."<p>

Ichigo grinned widely at his best friend. "At least he can't take her out in this thing now."

Shinji's wide grin threatened to split his face. "I told you this was therapeutic. Now, you'll have zero trouble getting over that abusive, cheating asshole. I can't believe he was cheating on you with a woman. Ick." Shinji shuddered visibly.

Ichigo laughed at his friend's disgust, glad that he had called the blonde. After hanging up with Shinji, Ichigo had sat on the curb. The blonde had torn onto the street, squealing tires and slamming on the brakes. "What the fuck did he do?"

Ichigo had forcefully extracted the baseball bat from Shinji's grip while telling his story. Shinji had pulled the orange head into a tight embrace and held him until the tears stopped. Only then did he suggest giving Renji's brand new Jeep a makeover. Ichigo, reluctant at first, had remembered the naked figure of Rukia in Renji's bed and started swinging.

Ichigo sighed deeply. "Maybe we should go befor-"

Both men swung around as they heard siren's screeching loudly in the distance. And they were coming closer.

"Shit!" They screamed in unison. Without any further communication, both men ran towards Shinji's black Honda, jumping in and locking the doors. "Drive, Shinji! I can't afford bail!"

Shinji promptly threw the Honda into gear, pealing into the street and driving erratically towards their apartment. Ichigo was certain that they were going to die. As Shinji parked the Honda, Ichigo swung his door open, grabbing his things and jumping from the still running vehicle. "Are you crazy? We could have died!"

"But we didn't and that's all that matters." Shinji grinned widely at Ichigo before calmly exiting the vehicle and leading the way into the building. "Now, let's get some sleep. Chemistry with _Grimmjow_ tomorrow."

* * *

><p>Grimmjow stirred uncomfortably in his seat. A week ago, he would have been ecstatic to find that a certain orange-head was staring at him. Today, however, he was not so thrilled. Arriving late to class, as per usual, Grimmjow had not been surprised to find Ichigo sitting across the room, as far away from Grimmjow as physically possible. What was surprising was the giant, greenish bruise on the orange-head's cheek. Even more surprising, Ichigo was glaring at Grimmjow with what could only be described as pure hatred. <em>Well damn. What'd I do now? <em>

Throughout the lecture, Grimmjow cast furtive glances at Ichigo, occasionally meeting the shorter man's angry gaze. _Where did that bruise come from? _Grimmjow glanced around the room, noticing for the first time that the Dumbface was MIA. _He hit him. _Grimmjow's eyes widened at his sudden revelation and then reduced themselves to a deadly glare. His teeth ground against each other as his anger flared. _That red-headed asshole hit Ichigo because of me. I'll kill him. I'll rip his throat out and hang him from a tree with it. I'll-_

"Hey!" Gin poked the side of Grimmjow's head with his finger. "What's wrong? Sit on a knife or something?"

Grimmjow slowly turned his head to face Gin, trying desperately not to jump up and hunt down Renji. "He hit Ichigo."

"How do you know?"

"The bruise on his face. Dumbface is missing. I just know. He _hit_ him."

Gin looked at Ichigo and then turned around fully in his seat, scanning the room for Renji. After a good minute and a half, he turned back around. "Hmm. Did you want to give me the bail money now or should I just start looking for a good lawyer?"

Grimmjow laughed humorlessly. "I'll get back to you on that." He turned back to Ichigo, staring at him with new intensity. _Did they break-up? No wonder he's so pissed at me. _

Ichigo met Grimmjow's eyes, surprised at how pissed the man looked. _Two seconds ago he looked like a kicked puppy. What the hell? _

The rest of the class passed rather quickly. Grimmjow stared at Ichigo, Ichigo stared at Grimmjow and Gin watched the pair and laughed internally. When class was over, Ichigo gathered his things quickly, hoping to escape before he was approached by the blue-haired man. Grimmjow left his books with Gin and walked over to the orange head.  
>"So, wanna tell me why you're so pissed? Or maybe you could tell me where you got that pretty bruise? Where's your little boyfriend at, by the way. I'd like to break a few of his limbs, if it's all the same to you."<p>

Ichigo turned to the blue-haired man. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was any of your fucking business. If you must know, I don't have a boyfriend, thanks in part to you. And in part to his insatiable desire for pussy."

"His desire for what?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Grimmjow. Now leave me alone. I have to get to class."

Ichigo brushed past the stunned blue-haired man, rushing from the room.

Grimmjow joined Gin in the hallway. "Well. That went about as well as the time you asked Ulquiorra to suck your dick."

"Yea. But if I remember correctly, Ulquiorra eventually gave in. So it's just a matter of time until Ichigo does too. Wanna hear something weird? Dumbface likes pussy."

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Ulquiorra did what? Ah! Tehe, I just had to end the chapter with that word. Makes me giggle. Anywhosit, whatcha think? Review and lemme know! <em>**


	3. Chapter 3

**_AN:Well, it's 5am. Up early? Nope, I'm up late. Why? Because this chapter was bouncing around in my head and wouldn't let me sleep. Also, I've come to notice that my chapters are very short. I apologize for this. It's not intentional. *Shrugs* _**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. However, I DO own a stuffed elephant named Gerard. He is very fluffy. Be jealous. _**

**_Warning: *Why do I keep doing these? Because I'm sleep-deprived...?*Ichigo has a bad mouth. Grimmjow has a dirty mind. I have a graphing calculator. _**

**_Anywhosit...enjoy!_**

* * *

><p>Gin stared at his roommate and long-time best friend. Grimmjow was laying belly-down on the floor in front of the television, playing his favorite video game with reckless abandon. Empty cans of soda were scattered around the man. A bag of Doritos lay to his left, the stale remains of its contents burrowing themselves deep into the carpet. The blue-haired man's shirt was tossed carelessly across the couch, having been abandoned several hours ago.<p>

Grimmjow belched loudly and paused his game. He stood, stepping on several Doritos in the process, and scratched his rump through his blue plaid boxers. Gin looked Grimmjow over, thoroughly disgusted with the man. "When was the last time you bathed?" No answer. Grimmjow made his way across the living room and into the pair's small bathroom. He promptly slammed the door and Gin heard the distinct sound of a lock clicking.

Gin heaved a sigh and shook his head. It had been over a week since Grimmjow had confronted Ichigo. Since then, the pair had not spoken. Grimmjow had stopped staring longingly at the orange-haired man and Ichigo had gone back to ignoring Grimmjow, just as he always had.

Gin was not pleased. Grimmjow had been moping about and his overall demeanor had dropped to that of a scorned schoolgirl. The man had been maintaining questionable hygiene and his characteristic swag was MIA. Gin knew he had to fix this.

Gin walked to the bathroom door, beating on it loudly and addressing the blue-haired man within. 'Ok Grimm, I think it's time you and I had a wee little chat." No answer.

"Really, Grimmjow? You're going to act like a seven year old? It's not that big of a deal you know. We can totally fix this. With my cunning and your pig-headed stupidity, we can conquer Ichigo's heart."

A low rumble emitted from within the bathroom. "Do you mind? I'm trying to shit."

"No, you're not. I can see your feet in front of the door. Now talk."

"Talk about what, Gin? Ichigo hates me because I fucked up his relationship with the Dumbface and then stuck my nose in his business. He won't even look at me now. There's nothing to discuss. I've moved on. I know a lost cause when I see one."

"Oh, moved on have you? I didn't realize 'moving on' involved smelling like a hobo and sitting in front of a television for 18 hours at a time. Ichigo never looked at you to begin with so I don't see why it bothers you so much now. You just have to step up your game and catch him before he regains his senses. Now, the way I see it you have two ways to move on from here. One: You can forget about Ichigo and call Ulquiorra back, seeing as he's been calling you twelve times a day. He'll come over and the two of you will have loud sex for two days and then he'll leave and won't call you for six months like he always does. OR you can take a shower and come with me to the library, which is where Ichigo just so happens to be studying for our Chemistry exam."

Grimmjow's ears perked a bit at the mention of Ichigo. Ichigo was at the library? Maybe he could fix this thing. After all, Gin was right. Ichigo had never given him the time of day before so why should he bother now? Especially with all the trouble Grimmjow had caused him. Grimmjow sighed deeply and opened the door. "How do you know he's at the library?"

"He's always at the library, especially the week before exams."

"I still don't see how this information is useful. He's not going to talk to me. You've seen how angry he is. He doesn't want to be anywhere near me, much less talk to me."

"So? You've never cared about anyone else's feelings before. Why should you start now?"

A smirk ghosted Grimmjow's face as Gin's words sunk in.

"Excellent point, comrade. Now leave me alone so I can shower."

* * *

><p>Ichigo sat in front of a large window, staring hopelessly at his computer and sucking on a bright blue lollipop. Frustrated, he slammed his laptop shut and rubbed his eyes, burying his head in his hands. Pausing to take in the silence, he inhaled deeply enjoying the library's smell. Call him strange but Ichigo had always liked to sit, surrounded by books and enjoy the silent atmosphere of a library. Taking another deep breath, Ichigo raised his head from his hands, only to find himself face to face with a nervous-looking Grimmjow. Ichigo frowned.<p>

"What?" Ichigo angrily pulled his lollipop from his mouth. He wasn't in the mood for the blunette's antics today. His break-up with Renji was still fresh in his mind, the red-headed man's betrayal still a violent sting. The bruise, now a nearly-gone, yellowish color, stared him in the face every morning and reminded him that the last few years of his life had been an utter waste of time.

Grimmjow cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. He stared at the black and white swirling designs on the back of Ichigo's laptop and muttered softly, "I want to apologize."

"Apologize?" Ichigo raised an orange eyebrow at the man in front of him.

Grimmjow shifted again. "Uh, yea. For sticking my nose in your business and all that. I shouldn't have said anything in class or whatever. But he shouldn't have hit you." Grimmjow's brow scrunched as he remembered the bruise on Ichigo's face. He raised his head suddenly, searching Ichigo's face for more signs of abuse.

"Yea, that kinda goes without saying." Ichigo shrugged. "It's no big deal, really. I just have a lot of stuff going on right now. Running on a short fuse." Ichigo offered Grimmjow a small smile.

"So, uh, did you guys, you know, break up?" Grimmjow dropped his gaze back to the table as he spoke.

Ichigo chuckled. "Duh. What the hell you think I'm studying by myself for?"

"Oh. Well. Do you need someone to study with?"

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you about to ask me on a study-date? Because I've only been single for like a week and there is no way that I-"

"No no no! I was just asking if you need someone to study with! Cause I need someone to study with and I thought that maybe we could study together, as friends, since we both need someone to study with. Just as friends." Grimmjow's eyes were wide and his voice was a little frantic. He used his hands to make large, rapid circles, in hopes of accentuating his words.

Ichigo couldn't help himself. He laughed. Loudly. He was shocked beyond belief. Here sat _the _Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, self-proclaimed and widely accepted badass, trying desperately to convince him that he wanted to study together. _As friends._

Grimmjow was slightly taken aback. He already felt like a total idiot for apologizing and now the damned kid was laughing at him? Fuck this. Grimmjow's eyes narrowed and he stood, taking Ichigo's laughter as an obvious sign of rejection.

"No….wait," Ichigo managed to pant out in-between giggles. Fighting desperately to control himself, he stood and grinned at Grimmjow. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Don't go." Ichigo giggled again as the blunette turned towards him. "I wasn't laughing at you. Well, actually, I was but it was that face that you made. I have never seen anything like that, ever. Do it again."

Grimmjow scowled at the shorter man. "You can't make me."

Ichigo giggled again, and he flashed Grimmjow a bright smile. "What are you, five? Alright, fine. I'll study with you. Now, did you want to stay here or go back to your place?"

Grimmjow's mind made another dive for the gutter. _'Oh, I definitely want to take you to my place…' _It was then that he noticed that Ichigo was holding a bright blue lollipop. "Uh, we should stay here, I guess. Gin has a "new friend" and you probably don't want to hear them get acquainted."

Ichigo nodded and sat back down, saying something about a study guide. Whatever he was saying was lost on Grimmjow because Grimmjow was staring at Ichigo's tongue. It was blue. _'Oh, sweet fuck. Isn't this what got me into trouble the last time?' _Grimmjow's mind conjured several explicit images of Ichigo and his bright blue tongue.

"Aren't you going to sit down? Grimmjow?...Grimmjow!" Ichigo threw his pencil at the blunette, hitting him in the jaw. Grimmjow jumped, coming out of his stupor. "Uh, are you feeling ok?"

"Huh? Oh yea, I'm fine." Grimmjow hastily sat down but continued to stare at Ichigo.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ichigo was thoroughly puzzled. Grimmjow was staring at him as if he were something to eat.

"Your tongue is blue." Grimmjow stated simply, not fully realizing what he was saying.

"What?"

"Your tongue. It's blue. Just like it was the other day." Grimmjow slowly pulled his eyes away from Ichigo's mouth and looked up at him. Ichigo raised an eyebrow and smiled widely. "Pervert."

"It's not my fault! You're the one who always eats blue stuff. What's the deal with that anyways?"

"Blue's my favorite flavor."

Grimmjow sat back in his chair and smirked widely, eyebrows raised to the ceiling. "I feel inclined to mention that blue is my natural hair color. And I can prove it."

Ichigo's eyes widened comically and he blushed brightly as the blunette's words sank in. "That's….that's not what I meant! Pervert." Ichigo stammered and turned an even brighter shade of red. Grimmjow's laughter filled the library until he received a sharp kick to the shin. "Shh, this is a library, you idiot! Now..now start studying or leave! I'm very busy!"

Grimmjow pulled out his chemistry book, smirk still firmly in place. This was working out better than he had planned. The best part? Ichigo was finally smiling at him.

* * *

><p>Shinji squealed with delight. "So you studied with him all afternoon? This is FANTASTIC! You guys are going to have such hot sex! Ohmigod! Did he ask you out? Like on a date?"<p>

Ichigo heaved a sigh and told his blonde friend for the third time that he and Grimmjow were not dating. "We're just friends Shinji. We weren't even hanging out really, we were just studying."

"Yea, but you said you guys talked and stuff and that he said you would have to hang out sometime!"

"As friends, Shinji. Just as friends."

Shinji's wide grin fell and his shoulders slumped. "But he's in love with you." He was almost pouting.

"No, he's not. That was just Gin saying things. You know how he is."

"But did Grimmjow say that he isn't in love with you?"

"Well, no. We didn't talk about it."

'Then how do you know? Maybe he's just doing this whole 'friend' thing so he can sweep you off your feet and carry you off into the sunset." Shinji squealed again and his body shook forcefully as he regained his initial excitement. "Invite him over! I'll leave and you guys can do your "Just friends" thing. It'll be great! You'll see! You guys will be making out in-between classes in no time!"

Ichigo sighed and shook his head. Maybe Shinji was right. Should he invite Grimmjow over?

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Well, there you have it. Chapter 3. It was short, yea. To short, maybe? Review and lemme know whatcha think! Reviews make me write faster...;)<em>**


	4. Chapter 4

**_AN: Welp, it's been a while. I've been suffering from some major writer's block. *Shrugs* Over it. Anyways, I want to dedicate this chapter to my buddy Jo. Sirius told me that you were really liking this fic and I just had to try to get something out for you. _**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Or Pandora. (I do have a vast collection of Bath & Body Works lotions though.)_**

**_Warnings:Hmm...language and hunky maleness? Yep, you've been warned. _**

**_Anywhosit, enjoy!_**

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><p>Renji sat in his destroyed Jeep, completely heartbroken. This had been the worst month he had ever had the misfortune to live through. He heaved a great sigh and leaned back against his seat. <em>'My poor Jeep.' <em>He sighed again and then jumped violently when his phone began to ring.

"What?"

"Hey babe! Whatcha doing?"

"Sitting in what used to be a sexy vehicle."

"Aww, Renji. You poor thing." Rukia's voice was filled with sympathy. She knew how much Renji had loved his Jeep. She couldn't believe that Ichigo would sink so low as to destroy something that Renji had worked so hard to get. Luckily for Ichigo, Renji had decided against calling the police, although Rukia didn't have the slightest idea why. "So, guess who I saw Ichigo with."

Renji immediately perked at the mention of Ichigo. "You saw him? Where?"

Rukia sighed. She knew Renji was still in love with Ichigo and she hated the way he responded to the other man's name. It was unnatural. Renji couldn't be in love with both of them! She would just have to make Renji fall out of love with Ichigo. And she knew just how to do it.

"At the library. With Grimmjow. They were sitting together studying and flirting and stuff. And I think I heard Ichigo say something about a study date. They seemed to be cozy together. I bet they've been seeing each other secretly for months."

"Hmmph. Probably. Whatever. When are you coming over?"

Rukia smiled brightly at Renji's tone change. He was angry. Very angry. Proud of herself, Rukia quickly made plans to meet Renji later that night. _'Ah, another job well done.' _

* * *

><p>Ichigo picked his phone up for the sixth time, only to sit it back down the moment it left the coffee table. Should he call Grimmjow? He didn't want to lead the other man on but he was bored and he had made it clear that he just wanted to be friends, hadn't he? And Grimmjow had still given him his number with express instructions. "Call me and we'll hang out sometime."<p>

Ichigo sighed. He knew the blue-haired menace was in love with him or, at the very least, liked him quite a bit. Ichigo couldn't deny that he was attracted to the man but he wasn't entirely sure he was ready for a new relationship. Renji's betrayal was still fresh in Ichigo's mind and to make matters worse, Ichigo was having bad dreams about the experience. They weren't nightmares, per se, but they weren't pleasant and Ichigo often woke up fighting tears. He had even woken Shinji up a few times, which invariably lead to a lengthy lecture on "moving on" and "just sleep with Grimmjow."

Ichigo heaved another sigh, cursing himself. Why was he acting like a scared teenager? He knew that he would get over Renji. Eventually. Maybe having Grimmjow around would help speed things up? Grimmjow knew that he just wanted to be friends and still wanted to hang out, so why shouldn't they? Sure, the guy could be an outright ass at times but, somehow, he managed to distract Ichigo from all of the chaos that was currently rattling around in his brain.

Ichigo was pulled to attention when his phone suddenly began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Alright, Strawberry. It's been three days and I'm BORED and Gin is still "getting to know" his new friend and it's loud and I'm tired of hearing weird sex noises and I'm coming over." Grimmjow spoke quickly, catching Ichigo off guard.

"Uh..right. Ok."

Grimmjow laughed. "Hell. I shoulda tried that two days ago. See ya in 10 Strawberry. Oh, and I'm bringing booze so put on your big boy pants before I get there."

"Stop calling me that!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes when he heard the line disconnect. "Well, at least he's coming over." Ichigo allowed himself a small smile at the thought until he realized what Grimmjow had said. Oh shit. "He's bringing booze? Oh shit. Shit shit shit! He's gonna try to sleep with me or something! Oh damn." Ichigo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Maybe Grimmjow was just bringing booze so they could hang out and watch a movie or something. Friends do that. Ichigo nodded his head at his empty living room. Yea, friends do that.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow grinned to himself as he searched for a clean shirt to wear. Calling Ichigo had been the best idea he'd had all week. He was one short walk away from escaping the horror that Gin called a sex life AND he was going to Ichigo's place. Excellent. Grimmjow strolled out of his room, contemplating what kind of alcohol he should buy. He grimaced as he passed Gin's room, a low, drawn out moan interrupting his happy thoughts. Suddenly inspired, Grimmjow swung the door open and dramatically entered the dark, smelly hellhole that was Gin's room.<p>

The offending pair jumped violently as the door collided with the wall and a head of blonde hair disappeared underneath a sea of blankets. "What. The fuck. Do you want?" Gin glared at his roommate, obviously not happy about the interruption. Grimmjow took a moment to take in the scene. Gin's partner was completely covered and Grimmjow could only make out the vague form of a human being. Gin himself was looking a little disheveled. His hair stood up in various directions and was damp with sweat. Gin's face and upper torso were also covered in sweat and there was a black line smeared across his chest that Grimmjow didn't want to think about. "Well?" Gin asked, breaking Grimmjow's line of thought.

Grimmjow recovered quickly, smirking widely as he remembered why he had interrupted Gin's little party. "I am going to Ichigo's house. I am taking booze. I thought you might like to know this." Gin stared at Grimmjow blankly. "Goodie. Now leave."

Grimmjow broke into a full-out grin, saluting Gin and turning on his heel before exiting the room. He strode quickly across the living room and exited the apartment, grin still firmly in place.

"You could have at least shut the door, asshole!" Gin yelled, his words reaching Grimmjow just before he shut the apartment door. Without a reply, Grimmjow pushed the apartment door wide open and turned towards the elevator, eager to make his way to Ichigo's house.

Grimmjow walked with his hands in his pockets, contemplating his meeting with Ichigo. He knew that Ichigo just wanted to be friends and he was fine with that, for now. He also knew that some people (well, most people) lose their inhibitions when they are exposed to alcohol. Not that he was going to take advantage of Ichigo but he certainly wanted to be around if Ichigo decided that he needed "assistance." After all, they were just two friends about to get shit-faced, right? Right.

Grimmjow wandered through the liquor store, wondering what he should buy. In the end, he settled on a bottle of vodka and a case of cheap beer. Yea, they were definitely getting shit-faced. Whether Ichigo liked it or not.

* * *

><p>Ichigo rushed around his apartment, trying to make it look somewhat presentable. He had already washed a week's worth of crusty dishes and picked up several pairs of Shinji's brightly colored thongs(hopefully clean), which seemed to be placed strategically around the apartment. The last thing he needed was for Grimmjow to see a hot pink thong hanging from a lamp. What if he thought Ichigo had put it there or something?<p>

Ichigo threw what he hoped was the last of Shinji's lacy delicates into the blonde's room before pulling the door closed and exhaling in relief. At least the place didn't look like a total disaster anymore.

The doorbell chose that exact moment to ring. Ichigo took a deep breath and walked slowly to the door. _'Just relax. You're just two guys, hanging out and drinking. As friends_.'

Ichigo pulled the door open and found himself face to face with a smirking Grimmjow. Ichigo stared at the taller man, feigning indifference as he looked him over. Grimmjow wore a white t-shirt, which was tight enough to reveal the outline of a tank top underneath. His jeans were dark blue and hung loosely about his hips. Ichigo was impressed with the overall picture. Until he saw what Grimmjow was holding. The blue-haired man held a case of beer in one hand and a paper bag in the other. "Uhm, is all that for us?"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "You have no idea what I've had to put up with for the last few days. I deserve to get shitfaced and I intend to drag you down with me. Don't worry, I'll hold your hair when you puke."

Ichigo glared at Grimmjow. "I can hold my liquor, thanks. I just didn't realize we were going to drink that much. Coulda warned me."

"Why? Need to call Mommy first? Go ahead, I'll wait here in the doorway while you do."

Ichigo slammed the door shut.

Grimmjow's eyes widened in shock before he burst out laughing. "Aw, come on Strawberry! I was just kidding! Let me in already!" Grimmjow kicked the door, hoping to get the message across. His arms were starting to get tired.

Ichigo pulled the door open again and glared at the blue-haired menace. "Will you keep it down? I have neighbors you know."

"Well if you don't let me in, I'm going to start screaming. I wonder how many of them know you're gay?"

Grimmjow yelled the last two words and smiled innocently. Ichigo grabbed his arm, pulling him quickly into the apartment. "Actually, I'm pretty sure they all do, seeing as my roommate is quite the flamer." Grimmjow said nothing, instead choosing to walk over to the refrigerator and casually make room for the beer.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and wondered exactly what he'd gotten himself into. "What are we going to do anyways?"

"I just told you. We are getting trashed."

"I mean besides that, stupid."

Grimmjow shrugged and handed Ichigo a beer. "We'll figure that out later. First we're gonna shotgun this beer. And if you don't stop bitchin' we're going to do three more, right now."

"I am not bitching. I'm trying to figure out why I let you into my house."

Grimmjow looked at Ichigo for a moment and then he smiled. "Fine, we'll watch a movie. After we shotgun four of these." Grimmjow waved his beer about and turned towards the kitchen counter, trying to find a knife.

"Here, use this." Ichigo pulled a knife from a drawer and passed it to Grimmjow. "Bout time you got your head in the game." Grimmjow deftly cut both his and Ichigo's can before setting down the knife. "Alright, on three."

* * *

><p>Ichigo stared at Grimmjow, who was pouring yet another shot. After two hours of drinking and watching shitty television, Ichigo's head was starting to swim. Grimmjow downed his shot and leaned over the coffee table, waving the bottle under Ichigo's nose. "Come on, you can't be out of it yet! We're just getting started!" Grimmjow shoved a shot into Ichigo's hand before turning and cutting the television off. "I need to hear some music." He turned to Ichigo, his brow scrunched up in question. "Can we listen to music?"<p>

Ichigo sighed heavily and downed his shot before standing and walking over to the entertainment system. Turning the TV and the BluRay on, he quickly located Pandora and passed the remote to Grimmjow. "Just pick a station." Quickly catching on, Grimmjow chose a station and looked at Ichigo. The orange-haired man was standing less than a foot away from him, his hair sticking out in several directions and his shirt pulled to one side. Grimmjow's eyes roamed over Ichigo's slight form and, not for the first time, Grimmjow wondered what Ichigo's legs looked like under those tight jeans. Suddenly feeling uncomfortably hot, Grimmjow pulled his t-shirt off, revealing a white tank top that clung to his tone abdomen.

Ichigo's eyes followed Grimmjow's movements as the blue-haired man removed his shirt. Ichigo marveled at his thick muscular arms and studied his abdomen, wondering if it was as toned as the rest of him. Ichigo suddenly felt the need to touch him, wanting to feel those muscular arms and run his hands across those shoulders and into that hair that was just begging to be pulled on.

"Like whatcha see, Strawberry?"

Ichigo jumped slightly at Grimmjow's voice, enjoying the sound of it. His eyes flicked up to the other man's face, taking in the dark blue of Grimmjow's eyes and the fullness of his lips. Ichigo wanted to kiss those lips. Badly.

"I thought I told you not to call me that." Ichigo spoke without malice, his tone light and his voice barely a whisper.

Grimmjow smirked, taking a step forward and placing himself as close to the orange-haired man as he could get without touching him. "Who says I have to listen to you?"

Ichigo took a deep breath and looked away from the blue-haired man's face. "It's hot in here, isn't it?" Ichigo took a step back, pulling his shirt off and plopping down on the couch.

"Yea." Grimmjow's brain stopped working as he took in the sight of a shirtless Ichigo. The smaller man was slim and toned, his skin pale and flawless. Grimmjow walked over to the couch and sat next to Ichigo, unsure of what to do. His nether region was telling him to make his move but the voice in the back of his head was telling him not to scare the orange-head away. Grimmjow sighed and reached out to pour another round.

"Aren't you going to take that shirt off too?"

Grimmjow looked at Ichigo, surprised. "What?"

"It's really hot in here. I'm sweating and everything. You must be really hot too. Aren't you going to take off that shirt too?" Ichigo was surprised at his own bluntness. He was asking the man to take his clothes off? What happened to 'just friends?'

"Uh, yea." Grimmjow deftly set the half-empty bottle down and pulled his shirt off, shock written across his face.

"Happy now?"

Ichigo didn't respond. He eyes were roaming across the wonder that was Grimmjow's chest. The man looked like he should be made of marble; his entire torso was nothing but well-defined muscle. Ichigo's breathing became shallow as he took in the entirety of Grimmjow, from his loose jeans, to his ripped abs, to his full lips and, finally, to his dark blue eyes. Ichigo felt his ears turn red as he realized that Grimmjow was watching him. "Let's do another shot, yea?"

Grimmjow nodded his assent, tearing his eyes away from Ichigo and focusing on pouring two shots. Ichigo had just asked him to take his shirt off and then proceeded to devour him with his eyes. Now that was quite the interesting development. Grimmjow argued with himself frantically. Should he make a move or shouldn't he? Ichigo interrupted his thoughts.

"On three, ready? One, two, three!"

Both men downed their shots and sat down their glasses. Ichigo looked over at Grimmjow, pausing at his lips for just a second before moving his gaze to the man's eyes, only to find them glued to his own. Ichigo took a deep breath, his mind racing. What he really wanted was to kiss Grimmjow but he wasn't sure if that was the right way to go about this. They were supposed to be just friends, right? No relationship, no ties, no complications. Just friends.

Both men jumped suddenly, startled by Ichigo's piercing ringtone. Ichigo reached out, grabbing for his phone and answering it quickly, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"What?"

"Uh, hi Ichigo."

"Renji?"

"Uh, yea. Hey."

"What the fuck do you want?" Ichigo was suddenly beside himself with anger. How dare that asshole call him!

"Uh, I wanted to check on you. See how you're doing. See if maybe we could talk."

"I'm just fine, thanks. And we have nothing to talk about. What's wrong? Rukia decide that she didn't want you anymore?"

"Come on, Ichigo. Don't be like this. I don't love Rukia, not like I love you. I need you. Can't we just talk about this?"

"Need me, Renji? Oh, NOW you need me? Just like how you "needed" Rukia? Fuck you Renji. I don't need your shit and I'm just fine without you. Do not call me again. Don't think of me again. Leave me alone."

Ichigo hung up the phone and threw it across the room.

"Damnit! Why can't he just leave me alone?" Ichigo's shoulders started to shake and tears slide down his cheeks against his will.

Grimmjow was unsure of what to do. Cautiously, he placed his hand on Ichigo's back and slowly rubbed small circles on it. Ichigo heaved as his tears assaulted him with new ferocity. Grimmjow, surprised at the sudden attack, reached out and pulled Ichigo into his embrace. "Shhh, it's ok Ichigo. Don't cry over him. Shh.."

Grimmjow continued to rub Ichigo's back and whispered quiet words of comfort. After a while, Ichigo's sobs stopped. Grimmjow continued to hold Ichigo close to him, his head resting on top of Ichigo's.

Ichigo sighed deeply and reluctantly pulled away from Grimmjow's embrace. "Thanks."

Grimmjow nodded. "You wanna talk about it?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No. I just want to move on. Let's do another shot, yea?"

Grimmjow smiled. "Maybe we should just take the whole bottle?"

Ichigo chuckled lightly and grabbed the bottle, taking a large gulp and passing it to Grimmjow.

Grimmjow smirked. "Bottoms up."

* * *

><p><strong><em>So, this chapter was a bit longer than the others have been.(*ahem* You're welcome. *ahem*) ;) I'm trying to work on that whole "relationship development" thing. I'd appreciate it if you guys would let me know how I'm doing. Also, I like to hear where you guys would like to see this fic going. I do have a set direction for this fic but I'm also taking inspiration from reviews.(Which is a new thing for me, btw.) As always, constructive criticisim is welcome! <em>**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Sooooo, it's been a while...Don't look at me like that! I've been busy! Anywhosit, this is actually only half of a chapter so if it seems short, that's why. The entire thing was uber long and I'm tired and I wanted to get something out tonight, so yea. Look for the second half, uhm, later. _**

**_Warnings: Language, violence(yay, violence!), Renji-bashing, oh, and a shower scene! _**

**_Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach. BUT! Have you guys met my stuffed elephant? _**

**_Anywhosit..._**

* * *

><p>Grimmjow awoke to a splitting headache and a crushing weight on his chest and, more importantly, his penis. Shifting slightly, he identified the weight as a body. Ichigo's body. <em>Why is Ichigo laying on top of me? <em>Scrunching his brow in confusion, Grimmjow attempted to remember the night's events. _Oh, yea._ Ichigo had fallen asleep on top of him after the two had gotten thoroughly shit-faced.

Grimmjow sighed. He could already tell that today was going to suck. His head was threatening to explode and he felt like he'd licked the inside of a toilet. And Ichigo was still putting unnecessary pressure on his manhood. Grimacing, he pushed his hips back against the couch and shifted to the left, all the while hoping his orange-haired drinking buddy wouldn't wake up. Grimmjow sighed again, happy to have saved his penis, and snuggled back into Ichigo. Sure, he knew Ichigo just wanted to be friends but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy a little snuggle while Ichigo was unconscious, did it? Smirking to himself, Grimmjow closed his eyes and settled back in for a few more hours of sleep.

* * *

><p>Shinji pranced merrily down the hallway. His night had been fantastic, if not exhausting, and he wanted nothing more than to take a shower and collapse into bed after telling Ichigo all about it. Smiling to himself, he thought of his new friend, whom he had now known for 16 hours, and of all the crazy, glorious sex they had partaken in. <em>Fan. Fucking. Tastic. Night.<em>

Shinji paused outside his door, wondering if Ichigo was awake yet. Shinji just _knew_ that Ichigo would _love_ to hear all about his sexual exploits of the last 12 hours. Smirk. And Shinji knew just how to introduce the subject. Deftly unlocking the door, Shinji mentally prepared himself for the oncoming havoc. Taking a deep breath, he flung the door open with surprising force.

_SLAM_

"I'M BEAUTIFUL IN MY WAY CAUSE GOD MAKES NO MISTAKES!"

Grimmjow jumped forcefully, throwing Ichigo to the floor and wildly looking for the hell demon that was coming for his soul. Not yet fully awake, Grimmjow grabbed the first thing he could find (last night's liquor bottle) and turned towards the door, ready to fight his way out.

"I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY, I WAS BORN THIS WAY!"

Shinji paused in his song, noticing the wild eyed man standing in his living room. And he completely lost it.

"AHHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Shinji doubled over, leaning against the back of the couch for support. He had never seen anything so ridiculous in his life.

Grimmjow stood in the middle of the living room, feet spread apart in a defensive position, empty bottle held above his head and a fierce snarl on his lips. His hair was flat on one-side and sticking up in various directions on the other. His jeans, the only clothes he wore, were riding low on his hips and his left pants leg was pushed up to his mid thigh.

Ichigo was on the floor, rubbing his head and looking thoroughly confused. "What the fuck is going on?"

Grimmjow grimaced, lowering his weapon and looked from the cackling blonde to the confused orangette. "I don't know."

"You id…idiot." Shinji's voice came out at surprisingly high pitch as he tried desperately to catch his breath in the midst of all his laughter. "What were you….ahhahah….what were you gonna do?"

Grimmjow frowned, dropping the bottle to the floor and looking around the room. "Where the fuck are my clothes?" He looked to Ichigo, who was still sitting on the floor, now Indian-style.

"Uh, my room…I think." Ichigo shrugged, grimacing.

Grimmjow nodded and walked out of the room. He made a point to blatantly ignore the still giggly Shinji.

As soon as he was gone, Shinji recovered and pounced on Ichigo. "Oh. My. Shit. You totally slept with him!"

Ichigo grimaced, annoyed at Shinji for both his accusation and his voice. "I did not. Stop talking, you're making my head ache." Shinji's face fell.

"You didn't sleep with him?"

"For fuck's sake, no! We're just friends. I already told you that. We got drunk together. That's it."

"But.."

Shinji's mouth snapped shut when a now dressed Grimmjow reentered the room. "I'm leavin'. Later, Kurosaki."

"Bye." Ichigo stood, swaying slightly and putting a hand to his head. He looked pointedly at Shinji. "I'm going to take a shower. We'll talk later."

Shinji sighed in exasperation. "Fine."

* * *

><p>Ichigo took an unnecessarily long shower, pointedly delaying his inevitable interrogation. He didn't know if he should tell Shinji about last night, afraid that the man would blow the entire thing out of proportion. Sighing heavily, Ichigo thought over last night's events. He and Grimmjow had been having a great time. Ichigo couldn't deny that he was attracted to the blue-haired man. Even more so when there was alcohol in his system. Ichigo remembered watching Grimmjow strip his shirt off, after Ichigo had pretty much demanded that he do so. His cheeks turned bright red as he remembered the look on Grimmjow's face when he had noticed that Ichigo was checking him out. But how could he not? Ichigo's mind presented several images of Grimmjow's toned chest and arms. And then there was Grimmjow's eyes. Deep blue pools that became visibly darker after the little shirt incident. Ichigo was sure that the night would have progressed well beyond what he was ready for if Renji hadn't called.<p>

Ichigo sighed. _Renji. _After last night Ichigo was sure that he could survive without Renji, even if it was hard and made his chest ache and his eyes leak. "Oh shit." Ichigo was horrified. He had cried over Renji, _in front of Grimmjow_. And Grimmjow had held him tight and let him cry. Ichigo smiled lightly, feeling a rush of appreciation for the blue-haired man. He had been terrified that Grimmjow would try to overstep the "Just friends" boundaries, but he hadn't. And Ichigo was grateful.

Smiling to himself, Ichigo exited the shower, now ready to face any and all questions Shinji had for him.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow groaned and threw his history book to the floor. His hangover was still in full swing and, from the sounds of it, so was Gin's libido. Glancing around his room, he searched frantically for something, anything that would drown out the noises from the room beside his.<em> How can ANYONE have sex for four days straight? It's inhuman. <em>Frowning as a new wave of sex noises assaulted his ears, Grimmjow stood. "Fuck this." Grabbing his phone, he left the apartment. _I wonder what Ichigo's doing…_

Grimmjow wandered aimlessly through the streets, thinking up various ways to reclaim his apartment. And about Ichigo. Mostly about Ichigo. This morning had been horrible. Ichigo's blonde friend had ruined everything. Grimmjow could have spent the entire day with Ichigo if it hadn't been for him. Last night had been better than Grimmjow expected. Ichigo was fun to be around, even if he was a bit of a sloppy drunk. Grimmjow laughed quietly, remembering Ichigo's incoherent babble after they had finally finished off the bottle of booze. Grimmjow still didn't know what the other man had been talking about but it was hilarious.

Still smiling to himself, Grimmjow turned a corner and ran directly into someone. "Fuck, watch where you're going asshole."

"Me? You're the one running around corners!"

Grimmjow scowled, taking a good look at the idiot who ran into him. It was the Dumbface.

"Grimmjow? You fucking dick! I outta kick your ass for just showing your face around me. "

Grimmjow smirked. "Oh, well excuse me Renji, dear. I didn't realize you were walking here. I was a bit distracted, thinking about your boyfriend. Did you know I was with him last night? Stayed at his place all night. Funny, didn't see any of your stuff there…oh, that's right! He dumped your sorry ass. My bad."

Renji's face turned bright red as Grimmjow's words sunk in. "That's a lie."

"Sorry, what was that? You shouldn't mumble you know. Can't hear a word you're saying."

"THAT'S A LIE!" Renji yelled loudly and leapt towards Grimmjow, intent on breaking the man in half.

Grimmjow was ready for him, flipping the Dumbface around and slamming his body onto the sidewalk. "Tut, tut. Seems Ichigo was right about you. So violent." Renji squirmed, trying to free himself from underneath Grimmjow. "You fucking moron. Ichigo is mine. He always has been and he always will be. What makes you think he would ever want you? He never paid attention to you in high school and he doesn't pay attention to you now! You're nobody! He doesn't want you! "

Grimmjow snarled, released Renji's arms and drove his fist towards his face. It connected with a deft thunk, Renji's nose crunched loudly and his head slammed back into the concrete with a loud, sickening crack. Grimmjow drew back again, ready to beat Renji into a pile of hamburger. He stopped when he saw the blood that was quickly covering the sidewalk. "Fuck." Grimmjow stood up, disgusted with himself. Looking around, he noticed an old lady watching him from across the street. "Call him an ambulance, yea?" Not waiting for her to respond, Grimmjow turned, giving Renji one last look before taking off at a run.

* * *

><p>Rukia sat in the ER waiting room, impatiently awaiting the go-ahead to see Renji. The nurse had told her that his head was split open, his nose was broken and he had a concussion. Rukia sighed. <em>I don't need this right now. <em>Dropping her magazine on the horribly yellow table beside her, Rukia sighed again. What if Renji had trouble recovering from this? Nearly sick with worry, Rukia leaned back, closing her eyes and placing a hand on her lower abdomen. _Everything will be fine._

"Ms. Kuchiki?" Rukia sat up, nodding impatiently, eager to see Renji. "You can go in now. We're keeping him overnight for observation." Rukia nodded again and walked past the nurse, towards Renji's room.

Renji lay back on several overly white pillows. He had a bandage around his head and one covering his nose. An IV pumped medication into his arm and the various monitors blinked back at Rukia. Occasionally, something beeped.

"Well, do you want to tell me what happened now?"

Renji opened his eyes slowly and smiled lightly. "Rukia."

Rukia couldn't help but smile at the look Renji gave her. She sat down next to the bed and reached out for Renji's hand. "Yes, I'm here. I was so worried about you. Now what happened. The nurse said you were in a fight. With who? "

"Uh, Grimmjow. He, uh, we bumped into each other."

Rukia's face fell. "You were fighting over Ichigo?"

Renji looked away from her, toying with his IV. "Renji, answer me! Where you fighting over Ichigo?"

"Grimmjow said he stayed with Ichigo last night. I don't believe him."

Rukia closed her eyes, dropping Renji's hand. "So you were fighting over Ichigo."

"I, well, kinda. I guess."

" I see. Renji, I can't do this anymore. You're still in love with Ichigo and I won't play second to someone who's obviously moved on. I'm sorry, Renji but I can't see you anymore. It's not fair to either of us to keep up this charade."

"Wait, you're breaking up with me? While I'm in the hospital? Rukia! You can't do this! I just need time! What about us?"

"Renji..I just…I just can't do this right now. I need you to love me. Only me. Call me when you get over Ichigo." Rukia turned and walked from the room. She paused outside the door, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach as the tears started to fall. _Why can't he love me? Just me._

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><p><strong><em>So, did you enjoy that shower scene? *Cackles* Did you really think I was going to give you a smex scene? Perverts! <em>**

**_On another note, I feel so bad for Renji. I'm so mean to him. And Rukia, what's up with her? Seems like something's up here, huh? _**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Sooo...this was originally supposed to be the second half of chapter 5 but, for simplicity sake, we'll just call it chapter 6. I'd like to point out that I don't have a plan for this story and this is NOT where I planned on going when I sat down to write this chapter. Oh, well, it happened. **_

_**Disclaimer:Don't own Bleach. I do have Eggnog flavored soymilk though. (I was bamboosled(I don't think that's how you spell it...) I wanted regular nog! Why, you ask? Because I need to Christmas shop and nog infuses my brain with holiday spirit!)**_

_**Warnings: Language, self-harm, lack of fluff, angst. Lack of shirtless scenes. **_

_**Anywhosit...**_

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><p>Ichigo stared blankly at the television. His head had begun to throb painfully and his stomach felt as if it were going to implode. <em>Stupid hangover.<em>

Resigning himself to an evening of agony, Ichigo lay back on the couch, covered his face with his arms and prayed for sleep. His half-hearted attempt at rest was interrupted by the piercing scream of his cell phone. Groaning in both pain and annoyance, Ichigo rolled over, nearly falling off the couch. Rubbing his hand across the carpet, he searched for his phone, sighing in relief when he located it under the couch. A quick glance at the caller id told him that Grimmjow was calling. A small smile covered his face and he quickly answered.

"Hey, Grimm!" Ichigo's enthusiasm was apparent. Hopefully Grimmjow wanted to meet up.

"Renji's in the hospital." Click…

Ichigo's stomach rose to his throat, his grin disappearing.

"What? How do you know? Grimm? GRIMMJOW?"

Ichigo, panicking slightly, stuffed his phone in his pocket and began looking for a pair of shoes. _Renji's in the hospital? What if he's seriously hurt? _Ichigo shuddered involuntarily at the thought. _What if he lost Renji?_ "No. I won't lose him."

Ichigo began to move faster as the panic set in. Grabbing his keys, he raced out the door. And paused on the other side. _How does Grimmjow know? And why had he hung up so quickly? Had he done something to Renji? _Deciding to save the questions for later, Ichigo rushed to the hospital.

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><p>His fist connected with concrete. Something in his hand crunched painfully. The skin over his knuckles pulled back, tearing away and baring the sensitive flesh underneath to the unforgiving wall before him.<p>

_Stupid. _

Drawing back, he struck the wall again, this time grunting in pain. He flexed his hand, satisfied with the gruesome streams of blood that covered him. A large red stain was on the wall before him.

_You idiot. How could you do this to Ichigo? He'll hate you. Just last night he was crying over that redheaded jackass. You know he still loves him! And what did you decide to do about it? You tried to break him by killing the Dumbface! _

Grimmjow grimaced at the middle-school nickname. It wasn't funny anymore.

Leaning his head against the stained wall, Grimmjow tried to remember what had made him hit Renji.

_Oh, yea. _

"_He never paid attention to you in high school and he doesn't pay attention to you now! You're nobody."_ Renji's words echoed in Grimmjow's head.

_Nobody._ Grimmjow shuddered. Renji had no idea just how right he was. No one gave a damn about Grimmjow. Not even his mother. Especially not his mother. He wasn't wanted. Even Gin hadn't hung around until Grimmjow had beaten him within an inch of his life.

_Nobody. You're nobody._

It wasn't fair. Abarai had everything. A loving mother, a great job, a dad who paid for everything. And he had Ichigo. Renji's life was perfect.

_But Ichigo doesn't want Abarai anymore._

Or, he didn't, at least. Grimmjow was sure he had pushed Ichigo right back into Renji's arms. And Renji wouldn't fuck up this time. He would take Ichigo forever. Take Grimmjow's one chance at happiness.

_Ichigo._

"Shit." Grimmjow slammed his head into the wall.

"Stupid! Why are you so fucking STUPID!" Grimmjow screamed, the last word coming out in a roar, and bashed his head into the wall again. Blood began to pour across his face.

Good. Physical pain was something he could deal with.

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><p>Ichigo rushed through the hospital, coming to a stop at the information desk to ask after Renji. The nurse at the desk, obviously bored, failed to make a rush of things. "He's fine." She paused to yawn. "Broken nose, mild concussion. Staying overnight for observation. Room, uh, room 277." She pointed lazily down the hall and turned her back to Ichigo, suddenly finding something more important to do.<p>

Slightly miffed, Ichigo huffed and rushed off in the direction she had pointed. Quickly rounding the corner, he colliding with someone. Not bothering to stop, he tossed a quick sorry over his shoulder and raced into Renji's room.

Rukia stared, wide-eyed, at the flash of orange that had just knocked her over before entering Renji's room. Blinking back more tears, she hauled herself off the ground, straightened her jacket and began walking quickly away from Renji and his orange-haired visitor.

"Renji? Oh, fuck! Renji! What happened to you!"

"Ichigo?" Renji's eyes widened at the sight of his unexpected visitor. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you were still alive." Ichigo's eyes wandered over Renji's bandages and the various machines he was plugged up to. "You look awful. What happened?"

"Oh. Well, I…I,uh, sorta got into a fight."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "With who? Fuck, Renji, you should know better! How many times have I told you that you have to control your temper? This is what happens when you let it get the best of you!" Ichigo spoke quietly, his voice higher than usual.

"I know, Ichi. I know. I couldn't help it though. I ran into Grimmjow and I just.."

"Grimmjow did this to you?" Ichigo interrupted, shock replacing concern.

"Well, yea. He, uh,..we…I…" Renji searched frantically for words, not wanting to reveal that he had started the altercation.

"I can't believe he did this to you. Why were you fighting? What did you do?"

"Who says I did anything? Maybe it was him! Why are you blaming me when I'm the one who get hurt?"

"Because you're the one who always tries to fight him! You've been baiting him constantly since high school and he always walks away. You probably deserved this! Now tell me what you did!"

"He really did start it though!" Renji pouted, his bottom lip protruding slightly. "He said that he spent the night at your place. I called him a liar and he,uh, he hit me! " Renji fiddled with his IV, not wanting to meet Ichigo's gaze.

"Renji." Ichigo's voice came in a whisper. "Renji, why are you lying to me?"

"What? I'm not, babe, I swear!"

"Renji, I know you too well for this to work. You're lying. You hit him first, didn't you? Fuck, I can't believe I came all the way down here just to have you lie to me." Ichigo stood up, shaking his head. "I am such an idiot. What did I ever see in you?"

"But Ichigo! Wait! I can explain! I hit him because I love you! I was defending your honor!"

Ichigo paused in front of the door, and turned back to Renji. "Really, Renji? That's the best you can do? What is this, the middle ages? Pfffh, defending my honor…I'm not a girl, Renji. I can defend my own honor. I'm leaving."

"But Ichi! My Ichi-Bear! You still love me, don't you! You can't just leave me!"

Ichigo laughed humorlessly. "No, Renji. I USED to love you. I don't now."

Renji watched Ichigo leave and heaved a sigh. "Now who's going to take care of me?"

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><p>Grimmjow's phone rang for the sixth time in three minutes. Ichigo, again. Sighing, he ran a bloody hand through his hair and hit the ignore button. "Probably calling to yell at me." He sighed as yet another voicemail alert popped up, only to be replaced by a new text message. Grimmjow didn't bother reading it. "Just give it up already, Ichigo."<p>

Grimmjow leaned back against the wall that he had recently used as a punching bag. His blood, now starting to dry, covered him in large splashes. Every cell in his body ached. And he was fucking cold. Closing his eyes, Grimmjow realized that he was extremely tired._ Seems like as good a place for a nap as any. _

He had almost fallen asleep when his phone began to vibrate again. "Fuck! Give it up!" Grimmjow threw his phone into the sidewalk, smashing it into several pieces. Satisfied, he leaned back again and drifted off to sleep.

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><p><em><strong>How is the POV change-up working here. It's not sitting right with me, for this chapter at least. What do you guys think?<strong>_

_**Oh, and to those of you who review, thanks so much! I usually don't have time to repond to those but, for those of you who ask questions, I will get back to you, it just may take a day or so. **_


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